An Act directing the city of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for police officers for Angel G. Rivera

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by John Moran

Waives Boston police age limit for Angel G. Rivera's original appointment, if he meets all other BPD requirements, effective upon passage.

Read; and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session

Overview

H.4389 is a targeted, one-person exemption bill introduced in August 2025. Its purpose is to authorize the City of Boston Police Department to waive the maximum age requirement for the original appointment of a police officer specifically for Angel G. Rivera. If Rivera meets all other BPD requirements, he would be eligible for certification for original appointment as a Boston police officer. The bill takes effect upon passage.

What the bill would do

Create a statutory exception for Angel G. Rivera to the Boston Police Department’s age eligibility rules for police officer original appointment.

Notwithstanding any general or special laws to the contrary, including Chapter 43 of the Act of 2007, the City of Boston Police Department shall waive the maximum age requirement for Rivera.

If Rivera satisfies all other qualifications established by the Boston Police Department, his name may be certified for original appointment to the position of police officer.

Effective date: upon passage of the act (no retroactive or delayed effectiveness stated).

Key provisions (text highlights)

Section 1: “Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, including the provisions of Chapter 43 of the Act of 2007, the City of Boston Police Department shall waive the maximum age requirement for original appointment of police officers for Angel G. Rivera. If Angel G. Rivera meets all other requirements set forth by the Boston Police Department, he shall be eligible to have his name certified for original appointment to the position of police officer.”

Section 2: “The provisions of this act shall take effect upon its passage.”

Who is affected

Primary beneficiary: Angel G. Rivera.

Secondary/operational impact: The City of Boston Police Department would implement the age waiver for Rivera’s original appointment process if Rivera meets all other BPD criteria.

Broader legal context: The bill acts as an exemption to the standard age limits that typically govern police officer appointments, which are rooted in state law (e.g., Chapter 43 of the Act of 2007).

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introduced: August 7, 2025.

Legislative actions: Referred to the Committee on Public Service (2025-08-07); Senate concurrence noted (2025-08-11).

Hearings: Initially scheduled; hearing rescheduled to September 10, 2025 (1:00 PM–4:00 PM in Room A-1, with a virtual option and updated end time). Earlier notice indicated a 1:00 PM–1:30 PM slot; the latest update extends the hearing.

Related bill: HD 4978 (listed as related/replacing in materials).

Status: Awaiting committee action and potential floor considerations; local approval is implied through the sponsor and petition process.

Context and considerations

The bill represents a highly targeted deviation from standard civil service eligibility rules to benefit a single individual.

If enacted, the waiver would apply only to Rivera and would not alter the general age requirements or the procedures for other applicants.

Because the act would take effect on passage, any certification for Rivera would depend on the completion of the Boston Police Department’s own hiring and certification processes after enactment.

This summary provides the bill’s essential purpose, key provisions, affected parties, and timeline for context and assessment.

Bill